Reno Cut From WCC for 1992

Beginning in 1992, the Nevada Reno baseball team will no longer be a member of the West Coast Conference, Commissioner Michael Gilleran announced Tuesday.

The WCC Executive Committee made the decision citing travel costs and the desire to go to a six-team, all-California conference for baseball. UNR is a member of the Big Sky in all other sports, but that conference does not sponsor baseball.

Earlier this year, UNR was involved in a bench-clearing brawl with the University of San Diego that led to the suspension of three coaches--two from USD--and one player from each school.

Other WCC members for baseball include, Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine, Santa Clara, St. Mary’s and San Francisco.

Tim Griffin, a graduate of San Dieguito High who hit .343 for Stanford in 1990, was selected to the second team of the American Baseball Coaches Assn. All-American team. Griffin plays second base.

Sean Rees, a Mission Bay graduate, was named to the third team. Rees, a left-handed pitcher, was 13-2 for Arizona State.

GOLF

Phil Mickelson, a former San Diego Section golfer of the year from USDHS, will try to defend his NCAA Division I title beginning today at the Innisbrook Resort’s Island course in Tarpon Springs, Fla.

In 1989, Mickelson, of Arizona State, became only the fourth freshman to win the individual title, joining Ben Crenshaw (Texas, 1971), Curtis Strange (Wake Forest, 1974) and Billy Ray Brown (Houston, 1982). He has won three tournaments this spring for the second-ranked Sundevils.